Boiler-feed controller.



PATENTED APR. 21, 1908;

A. B. SMITH.

BOILER FEED CONTROLLER;

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1906.

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No. 885,653 PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

' A. B. SMITH.

BOILER FEED O0NTROLLER..

APPLICATION FILED DBO.14, 1906.

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PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

A. S ITH,- I BOILER FEED CONTROLLER. APPLIUATION FILED D30. 14, 1906.

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.to the ALBERT B. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOILER-FEED CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application filed December 14, 1906. Serial No. 347,842.

certain new and useful Im rovements in Boiler-Feed Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is in that line of boiler feeding devices in which a valve controlling the feed water being sup lied under pressure to the boiler is actuate by a tilting frame the swing of which is aflected by the automatic, admission to a terminal chamber of the water from the boiler when a designated level thereof is reached in the latter.

My improvements relate to means for reducing to a minimum the resistance given by friction or otherwise to the tilting action of the frame; for simplifying and cheapening the construction; increasing its sensitlveness and durability; improving its appearance, and generally rendering the device more effective.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feed controller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line XX in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same partially in section, and with parts removed. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line YY in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line ZZ in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side view of the apparatus shown connected with a boiler and pump.

The ipe through which the water is forced boiler, as by a pump P, at a pressure sufliciently high to overcome the steam pressure, is designated by the reference numeral 1; 2 is the valve case, and 3 the valve stem of the valve by means of which said pipe is closed. I

The globular chamber 5 is supported at one extremity of the tilting frame consisting of the tubes 6 and 7 pivotally held at the points 8-8, and counterbalanced by the weight 9 located upon the outer extremity of the arm 10 whose inner end is rigid with said tubes. Both said tubes communicate with the globe 5; the tube 6 with the bottom thereof, and the tube 7 with the upper part thereof, through the vertical pipe 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The opposlte ends of said tubes are joined by lengths of flexible tubing-11, 12, With the fixed pipes 13, 14 designed to communicate with the boiler B the pipe 13 at a point well below the water level, as the botthe pipe 1 to the boiler.

water and steam through the same.

tom thereof, and the other at just above the desired water level, while the globe is above such level. When,'now, the water is below the normal level, the steam can pass through the pi e 14, flexible tubing 12 and tube 7 into the g obe 5, thereby permitting whatever water may be within said globe to flow out therefrom through the tube 6, flexible tubing 11 and pipe 13 to the boiler B. The instant, however, the water rises in the boiler to a level slightly above the mouth of the pipe 14, the steam within the .globe immediately condenses and the water rises from the boiler to fill the vacuum thus created. It is evident that when the globe 5 is empty of Water, the counterweight 9 elevates the same, and conse uently the valve-stem 3; opening the va ive 2 for the admission of water through When the globe is filled with water, its heft forces it downward and so closes said valve. In previous mechanisms of the kind, water from the boiler was admitted to the globe through pipes whose fulcrumoint was itself a section of the conduit, an consequently required to be closely packed to prevent the escape of steam and moisture. After a time such packing became tight, or the piping-joints corroded, so

that the tilting-frames lost their sensitivemaximum sensltiveness and reliability. To

this end, the tilting fulcrum is composed of knife-edges, as 21 in Figs. 3 and 4, rigidly held by the standard-arms 25 and coacting with grooved blocks 22 22 carried by the cross-head 26 rigidly coupled to said tubes 6, 7. Said cross-head is retained in place upon said knife-edges by means of elbows 27 secured to the ends of the arms 25 and having bolts 28 contacting with the extremities of the cross-head for keeping the latter from horizontal dis lacement, and bolts 29 contacting with t e curved bosses 30 which are concentric with the knife-edges, as shown in Fig. 3. Suitable unions 35 hold the tubes 6, 7 to the threaded bosses 32 of the cross-head, and substantially similar unions 36 hold the flexible tubing 11, 12 to similar bosses at the opposite side of the cross-head, the latter being suitably apertured for the passagenof e mid-length of the cross-head is penetrated by the arm 10 which ismade rigid therein either by tightly fitting, or by a set screw 38 shown in Fig. 4. I prefer to have the weight 9 movable on said arm, but capable of being made fast thereon by a set screw 39 as shown in Fig. 1.

The valve stem 3 is connected to the tilting frame by means of the lever 41 pivoted at 44 to the standard 24, and penetrating the head 4 of said stem and also the socket 43 of the cross-arm 42 fixed to the tubes 6, 7. Inasmuch as said lever fits somewhat loosely in said head, the latter accommodates itself thereto both during the tilting actions of the frame, and to allow for the frequent expansions and contractions to which the tubes 6, 7 are subjected.

As the tilting actions of the device are quite sudden, I prefer to provide a buffer to receive the arm 10 at the limit of its descent. Such buffer is supported by the arm projecting from the standard 24, and comprises the plunger 51 having its stem 52 descending through the bottom of the thimble 53 a spring 54 within such thimble resiliently supporting the plunger. To keep the plunger from turning and so altering the position of the transverse rib 56 with which the arm 10 contacts, said stem is made polygonal and fitted to a corresponding opening through the thimble bottom. The height of this bufferplunger is adjusted by having the exterior of the thimble 53 threaded and fitted in a smooth socket 55 formed at the end of the arm 50; check-nuts 56 being provided for fixing the socket in position vertically.

The junctures of the flexible tubing 11, 12 with the fixed pipes 13, 14 are supported by means of arms 61 rigidly held by said arm 50, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

I prefer to support the controlling mechanism on the pipe 1, as the place the least liable to be in the way of other machinery or the men. To do this, the base 23 of the standard 24 is fitted in the recessed upper surface of the 0st 72 rising from the twopart strap 71 c amped about said pipe; suitable screws or bolts 73 being provided for fastening said base in place. It is evident that in case it is not expedient for the tiltingframe to be located in the position illustrated, the post 72 may be madea portion of I a block rising from any other suitable support at one side of the ipe 1, and the said frame placed at any ang e to its present position, but with the lever 41, of course, passing through the valve-stem head as before.

It is preferable to form the knife-edges 21 and their eo-aeting grooved blocks 22 of hardened steel to insure against wearing. Hence they should be non-integral with the cross-head and cross-arms 26, 25; and they are held in place by being each made dovetailed in cross-section, and seated, in correspondingly made recesses in said parts, as s own in Fig. 3.

What I claim as my invention and for which I desire Letters Patent is as follows, to wit:

1. The combination with a boiler and a valve-controlled water pipe for supplying it with water, of a feed water controller comprising a chamber, a pair of tubes communicating with and supporting the latter, a pivotal-support for said tubes near their ends opposite to said chamber, a counter-weighted arm rigid with said tubes and counterbalancing said tubes and chamber when the latter is empty, sections of flexible tubing communicating with said tubes and boiler, and connections between. said arm and valve for the operation of the latter by the move ment of said arm and chamber.

The combination with a boiler and a valve-controlled water pipe for supplying water to said boiler, of a suitably supported standard having cross-arms, a cross-head pivotally supported on said cross-arms, a pair of tubes rigid with said cross-head, a chamber terminally supported by and communicating with said tubes, an arm rigidly projecting from said cross-head oppositely to said tubes, a counter-weight thereon, conneetions between said tubes and said valve disposed to open and close the latter by the formers rise and fall, a fixed pipe connecting with said boiler below its water-level and a second fixed pipe connecting with said boiler close above said level, and flexible tubing joining said fixed pipes with said tubes.

3. In a feed water controller, the combination with a boiler, valve-controlled means for admitting water thereto a chamber, tubes leading to and from said chamber, flexible connections with said tubes and boiler, and a counter-weight for said chamber and tubes, of a pivotal support for said parts consisting of a standard'having cross-arms, and a cross head rigid with said tubes and counterweight; said cross-head and cross-arms being provided with hardened knife-edges coacting with hardened grooved-blocks removably held by said parts.

4. In a feed water controller, the combination with a water-supply pipe having a valve with a vertically rising stem, of a fixed standard, a pair of tubes pivotally supported thereon, a chamber terminally connected with said tubes, a counter-weight for the said chamber and tubes, flexible connections with said tubes, a cross-arm fixed to said tubes, a lever pivoted at one end to said standard and loosely held at its other end by said cross-arm, and an apertured head on said stem loosely penetrated by said lever.

5. In a feed water controller, the combination with a chamber, tubular connections therewith, and a weighted arm for counterbalancing said chamber and connections, of a buffer for said arm comprising a threaded thimble, a fixed socket movably containing said thimble, a plunger located insaid thim- In testimony that I claim the foregoing ble, means for preventing said plungers invention, I-have hereunto set my hand this rotation in said thimble but permitting its 4th day of December, 1906.

longitudinal play therein, a coiled spring ALBERT SMITH.

, 5 Within said thimble supporting said plunger, Witnesses:

and nuts turning on said thimble above and A. B. UPHAM, below said socket. LYMAN B. SMITH. 

